South Australia’s Flinders University has signed on as the Raine Study’s inaugural institutional member.
With ever-increasing interest in our growing databank, we have launched a new institutional membership category – with Flinders’ Colleges of Education, Psychology and Social Work and Nursing and Health Sciences, together forming our inaugural institutional member.
As an institutional member, researchers in these Colleges have free, easy access to this rich collection of data together priority approval and review, for up to ten (multi-paper) projects every year.
Leon Straker, Scientific Director of the Raine Study said, “We now have 30 years of rich data which is enabling ground-breaking insights to help people stay healthy, and get early treatment if they are unhealthy. Key findings from the Raine Study include: ultrasounds are safe for pregnant women, Vitamin D is important for eye health, and children who are active have stronger bones as young adults.”
Participants’ standard measurements such as height, weight and blood pressure have been collected at regular follow-ups, together with various research interests – from physical development, allergies and mental wellbeing, to bone density, sleep, eye health, cardio-vascular risk factors and much more.
Engineering student Alex Minson (pictured) was born into the study and has continued as an adult, despite living in Adelaide and the inconvenience of frequent check-ups that have involved a host of blood tests, psychological assessments and other examinations. “It’s a unique opportunity to be part of something that can change lives,” he says.
“The longer people stay involved; the more data can be used in important research. It is also interesting to see my own results from the range of tests and studies being conducted.”
A joint venture between WA universities and state and national organisations, until now external access for Flinders University researchers to the expansive Raine Study data involved a complex application process, with each project costed and managed individually.